Now here we are, so close, yet so far
by CheatedDefeated
Summary: Sophia Webster had never been the type to worry about a thing, yet one big incident in her life manages to finally make her break down. It changes her life for good, and she struggles at Waterloo Road... Until she meets one person that turns everything upside down.
1. Chapter 1

**I started my last story and then gave up already. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to leave it and maybe continue it in the future. However, enjoy this! **

* * *

It was my first day at a new school, and I was petrified. There were so many thoughts running through my head, never leaving for a second for me to compose myself.

'They'll all hate you.'

'They'll laugh and call you ugly.'

'The teachers will hate you because you've missed a lot of work!'

Those and many more swirled around and around.

It wasn't easy going to a new school. I'd done it once before, but we were still young, children were still happy and friendly. However this time, they were sixth formers, and they were judging and bitchy. I was terrified.

As soon as I stepped through the gate, my heart pounding, the first thing that came to mind was turning around and running straight back out. I took a slow step back then span on my heel, only to find myself bumping into someone. I sighed.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled in a hurry, not bothering to look up, just turning around and walking towards the front office.

"Whoever I had just bumped into must just think that I'm crazy, good one there, Sophia." I muttered to myself, my voice barely audible. "Oh and look, talking to yourself, even more crazy!"

I sighed again, entering the building through two huge glass doors. It was warm in here, compared to the icy winter breeze outside. I scoured the room with my eyes, it was quite empty, something I was glad about as I didn't want anymore incidents like the one outside.

"May I help you?" the middle aged receptionist's Essex accent dragged me from my thoughts. I stepped towards her desk.

"I'm Sophia Webster, it's my first day."

"Ah, Sophia. I'm Sonya Donegan. Mr Byrne came and gave me your details just a few minutes ago!" She picked up a few pieces of paper and searched through them. She pulled one out and slid it to me . "This is your time table. Put it somewhere safe, we suggest buying yourself a cheap planner or folder!"

"Okay." I picked it up from the desk and held it for a moment, continuing to listen to her.

"You have been placed in Miss Mulgrew's form class, if you just give me a moment, I'll lead ya there."

I nodded and waited whilst she stood up and picked up the sheets of paper. She walked around a corner and disappeared from view, then popped her head around another corner and called me over. I followed her down a long corridor, younger children in school uniform rushing past us to get to form time without being late.

"Now, if you look at your time table, each classroom has a number." she paused and handed me a map. "This is the school, and if you turn over the floor upstairs is in there. Each room's number is on this map, so you can find your way around. Right now, we are on the way to room 24. That's your form."

I nodded, taking in the information, praying I wouldn't get lost.

"I'm sure Miss Mulgrew will find you a buddy, just in case you get lost or anything like that." she told me, then gave me another sheet of paper. "And last of all, this is a letter about the trip that your religious studies class are going on next week. The teacher would like you to attend too."

"Okay, thank you."

She slowed to a halt and nodded to the door next to us. "Here we are." She knocked on the door three times, then twisted on the handle and let herself in. "Miss Mulgrew, this is our new student, Sophia Webster. She's been placed in your form."

"Oh alright, yes Micha- I mean Mr Byrne- mentioned her earlier." Her thick Scottish accent filled my ears. Sonya stepped out of the way and I saw the blonde woman with a blonde bob and smiled at her. "Nice to meet you, Sophia."

"You too." I stepped into the classroom.

"Right, I'll be off! See ya later!" Sonya wiggled her fingers then left the room and shut the door behind her.

Miss Mulgrew turned to the class. "Everyone, this is Sophia Webster. She is joining us from..." She trailed off and looked at me.

"Newcastle." I finished for her.

"Okay. Everyone be nice, make her feel welcome!" She ordered. She looked at a tall boy sat at the back on the left. "Sophia, go over there and sit with Connor, right at the back. Connor, help Sophia today."

"Alright." He mumbled.

* * *

Connor introduced himself better on the way to first lesson, and informed me that Miss Mulgrew was his Mam. I didn't question it, but it seemed like he didn't like her very much... Perhaps the reason why he'd waited to tell me a few things about himself. We bumped into a dark haired girl, whom of which was a little bit shorter than me. Connor informed me that she was called Imogen, and his partner. Yet another thing that I didn't question, why he'd said partner and not just girlfriend.

Throughout the day, they introduced their friends Kevin, Dynasty and Rhiannon to me and I felt like I was getting on quite well, nothing like I thought I would this morning. I knew I was going to get on here, well, at least I hoped I would.


	2. Chapter 2

My first few days passed quickly, and I felt like I'd settled in rather well. Imogen had taken it upon herself to look after me seeings as I was, as she said, 'like a lost puppy!' and she also informed me that Connor and her were secretly married. I guess that's why he'd said 'partner'. I swore on so many lives that I would keep it a secret, and once she was satisfied with my promises, she told me all about her and Connor's past. It was very interesting, to say the least. No wonder why they were married in secret.

After she'd finished telling me about Connor she questioned why I'd moved, and what my love life was like. It was a simple story, kind of. My Mam and Dad had gotten a divorce when I was eleven, and my brother, Adam, was two. Not long after the divorce my Mam fell in love with a man called Mitchell, and we moved to Sunderland. After six years of being secretly abused by him, my Mam finally had the courage to leave him and took me and my brother back to Newcastle. A little while after that, she met a lovely man.. A Scottish one, Peter, and that's why we moved to Greenock. As for my Dad, he's with a lovely woman called Jenna, who has two daughters; Leigh and Jayda, that are older than me and I love them all to pieces. And then there was my love life... No one had taken an interest in me since I was about ten. I'd never had the experiences that other girls had been through, I'd never done more than kissed a boy. I was different from everyone else in that aspect.

Imogen was kind about it all. She said she was glad that my Mam was happy with her new boyfriend, and that my time would come eventually. I just agreed with her, knowing she was probably right, but I knew it'd be awkward too. She promised not to tell anyone anything about me unless I said it was fine, which I was thankful for, and I knew i'd found a good friend.

* * *

We were sat in Maths, about a week after I'd started, and I was just sat doodling on the front page of my book. Imogen was calculating the answer to her last question, and Dynasty was staring out of the window, not even half way through her questions.

After a minute or two, the teacher set us some more questions, then excused herself to grab some books. We set to work on the questions, Dynasty still staring out of the window.

"Imogen, guess who's outside?" She said, not moving her eyes for a second.

"Who?"

"Chris." Dynasty smiled and continued to look.

"Oh!" Imogen stood up a little, trying to see out of the window.

"He is so fit.." Dynasty mumbled.

I raised an eyebrow. "Who are you two on about?"

"Chris Mead." Imogen answered.

"Come and have a look." Dynasty said.

I stood up and looked for the person she was looking at. "The one in the shorts?"

"Yeah, oh look at his legs! Mm." Dynasty grinned.

"Who is he?" I questioned.

"Christopher Mead. Although we're supposed to call him Mr Mead. Apparently used to be a teacher in Manchester when Waterloo Road was down there, but he left to do something else. He started up a centre for teens that are homeless, or struggling with issues at home, or drugs and that... Then he was sponsored by some mega rich man and now he has loads of staff and can offer housing to these teens. It's quite good. He ended up starting one up here, about ten minutes away." Imogen told me.

"And he sometimes comes and covers lessons if the school need him to. Lucky us!" Dynasty's eyes hadn't left the man outside.

"Look's like he's covering PE next.." Imogen said as he bent over to lay some cones down.

"Ugh that ass! I want it, I want him!" Dynasty said.

"I get what you mean.." I mumbled. "That is one mighty fine man.."

Suddenly, Chris looked up in the direction of our classroom. All three of us quickly ducked and laughed.

"Oh my god, do you think he saw us?" Dynasty squealed.

I laughed. "I don't think so!"

"Good! Imagine trying to have to explain that one?! 'Dynasty were you watching me out of the window?' Oh no, sir, I was looking at how colourful the cones were!"

We all burst out laughing. "Well it's a good job I've never asked you to cover for me, that was a terrible lie!" Imogen cried.

"Girls I hope you've answered all the questions." Miss said as she walked back into the room. We all tried to contain our laughter, and turned back to our work.

* * *

The bell finally rang and the three of us gathered our things together and headed towards the canteen.

"I wonder if we'll have the pleasure of seeing Chris this lunch time?" Dynasty smirked.

"Get thinking of a good excuse then, Dynasty, you know, just in case he did see us!" Imogen tried to hold back a laugh.

"Actually, I think we should leave that to you!" I teased and Imogen and I started to giggle.

"Oh alright you two! Give over!" Dynasty smiled and rolled her eyes.

We walked into the canteen and Imogen joined the back of the lunch queue. Dynasty and I took a seat at a table with a girl that was in my English class, called Roxie. She had long blonde hair that she tucked behind her ears and flung behind her shoulders. She smiled at us as we sat down.

"Hey girlies." She said, her cockney accent strong. I tried not to laugh inside, a Londoner, a Scouser, a Geordie and a Scotsman.. What a group we were!

Dynasty flopped down on the chair and pulled out a bag of crisps. "Jesus Christ, I'm starving!"

"Go visit all the little kids in Africa then say that again!" Roxie joked and took a bite out of her apple.

"Yeah well I'm not an African child and this is my idea of starving!" Dynasty grumbled and put a crisp in her mouth.

I smiled and shook my head, then opened my bottle of flavoured water and sipped from it. "Had a good day Roxie?"

"Yeah it's been alright!" She said. "Got PE next though, really can't be bothered today! And it looks like it's about to rain!"

"Chris is teaching PE I think." Dynasty said before eating another crisp.

"I suddenly feel ready to do some physical education!" Roxie joked and sat up in her seat, grinning.

I laughed. "You girls really like this Chris don't you?"

"Well there isn't much talent here, he's the only decent thing we get to see!" Dynasty answered.

I shrugged. "I suppose so.. Although that George Mullingham is quite a looker.." I mumbled, looking around to see if he was in the room.

"Aw, Georgey? He's such a cutie!" Roxie said, looking around for him too.

Imogen placed her tray down on the table and sat next to me. "Who's a cutie?"

"George Mullingham!" Roxie replied.

"Got your eyes on him ey, Sophia?" Imogen teased and gently nudged me.

I shrugged. "Well he is good looking..." I trailed off and looked up at the door to see Mr Mead walking into the canteen. "Although, I'd rather a piece of him." I joked.

Dynasty screwed up her crisp packet. "Mm, don't we all."

I smiled and watched as he spoke to some girls in the younger years. They giggled and twirled their hair as they spoke to him, jeez, they couldn't make it more obvious that they like him if they tried! God, I hoped I didn't look like that when I eventually spoke to him!


End file.
